Friedrich Franz II was the son of
Grand Duke Paul Friedrich and Alexandrine von Preußen. When his father
died in 1842, he succeeded him as Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin at
the age of 19. He thereafter traveled to Italy, Russian, and the Orient,
and in 1849 married Auguste Reu zu Schleiz-Köstritz. He avoided
fighting in the Danish-Prussian War of 1864 as he was close
friends with the King of Denmark. He then fought in the Austro-Prussian
War of 1866, and in 1870 commanded Prussia's XIII. Army Corps during
the war with France. He died on 15 April 1883 in Schwerin.